Soul of a Loki
by TapTapAlways
Summary: Loki used to be alone, lonely, and there was no one to even notice if he fell down dead. He wondered why he even had a heart, as life would be so very much easier if he didn't. Now, after being defeated and inprisoned by the Avengers, he finds himself with an entirely new future ahead of him. A companion piece to "Heart of a Loki".
1. The Hnefatafl Board

_This is a companion piece to "Heart of a Loki" but can be read on its own just fine. They're written in different formats, so if you liked that story but wanted even more fluff and longer chapters, then this is the story for you!_

 _This story is dedicated to Princess Prettypants, for being an awesome reader, reviewer and always giving me the best ideas with her comments._

 _I do not claim to own Marvel's Avenger's._

 _TapTap_

Loki smirked and moved the last piece, finally claiming victory. It had been hard earned, and was therefore precious. Besides his brother, most occupants of the tower were simply appaling hnefatafl players. Tony Stark, however, he could play now. Very well, too.

It had been a mere four months since Stark had entered this very room with a newly made steel and glass board, offering to play with him, asking to be taught how, but Loki had to admit: the man picked things up quickly. After teaching Tony, he had played it with Pepper, Bruce Banner and Rogers, the annoying git, as well. Virginia would be a fair player eventually, he surmised, and Banner would be alright if only he practised more, but Captain America was almost as annoyingly bad at the boardgame as he was generally annoying otherwise.

During the past few months, Odin's near-complete bans on Loki's magic had started to slowly wane, and after his help in averting a small magic catastrophe, it seemed most of the Avengers agreed his skills could be useful. Now, between a spell Thor had brought from Asgard and Stark's magic (which he called science, which could be debated), Loki's magic couldn't be used for harm, or indeed to reach outside of his cell, and that seemed to be that. Loki could have tried to make trouble, of course, but he had decided not to. That was the strange thing about being happy - you felt a curious lack of desire to cause undue mayhem.

"Rematch, Raindeer games?" Tony's voice interruped the Trickster's thoughts. Loki grinned: he liked Stark. "Don't you have some toys to go cut out of cardboard, Stark?" The frost giant bantered back, but it was all in good humour. Like with Dr Banner, he had started to allow Stark to examine him and run elementary tests on his magic. It helped alleviate the boredom, and while Oden had tried to place restrictions on how he had to allow it for his magic to remain unbound to this extent, he deeply liked how Stark hadn't joined him in this quest. If there was anything Loki hated with all of his heart, it was others trying to pressure him.

"Nope, Rudolf, I am all yours" Tony grinned, starting to reset the board for their next game. He had been beyond wary at first, when Pepper had started to visit Thor's adoptive brother, but it had since long receided into a sort of weary thought at the back of his mind. Loki had clearly mellowed during these last few months, between his and Pepper's happy relationship and the new understanding between him and Thor.

The sometimes blue man _was_ still messing with Steve, any chance that he got, but Tony did not hold that against him. After all, _he_ had used to do the same, and the Capsicle _could_ be very high-strung and silly. What mattered more to Tony was not only how happy (and safe) Pepper seemed to be, but how Loki and Clint had been forced to be in the same room during the recent magic incident, and Loki had resisted making any type of joke or mischief at the archer's expense. Teasing and banter aside, Tony cared deeply about his team, and that Loki had refrained from hurting one of them meant a lot to him. He would never admit it, of course, but he'd bet he didn't need to.

They started their new game in companionable silence, playing for another four hours, until Tony finally left when Jane came in with a cup of Loki's favourite tea as a bribe, probably planning to ask him for more cute stories about Thor. It said something about the brothers' healing relationship that not only did Loki oblige without malice, but Thor merely smiled and laughed in his booming way about what quickly became a regular occurence.

It had been increasingly common as well for anyone seeking Loki's company to find someone else already accompanying their former enemy. Pepper was there every chance she got, of course, and Tony had recently had the cell rebuilt to accommodate a proper bedroom, as it got more and more uncommon for Pepper to leave for the night. No one really minded. The list of "five rules for Loki's inprisonment" was still taped to the refrigerator, and everyone went by it.

Thor, too, was a common visitor of his younger adoptive brother, the two of them spending hours at a time on the carpet infront of Loki's digital fireplace, playing boardgames (even midgardian ones, lately), reading together or just talking. It was clear that their relationship, firmly on the mend, was good for both of them.

Tony himself dropped by at least a few times a week, no longer bringing the hnefatafl board with him, but simply leaving it on a table in Loki's quarters in case Pepper or Bruce wanted to convince him to join them for a game - not that it was ever much of a struggle for either of them to persuade him.

Bruce dropped by almost as often as Tony did, either for a game, a discussion on quantum physics or a small, magic experiment. Tony had started to join them for that, after the two science broos discovered that their prisoner/guest/contained friend didn't seem to mind his presence in the least.

Jane's visists had been a much more recent development, but after she had realised that not only did the frost giant know an awful lot of physics that neither earth's scientists nor Thor did, but also knew a seemingly inexhaustable amount of stories about Thor, it was a done deal. All three scientists held a secret hope that one day, they might convince Loki to shift forms and let them scan the process.

Pondering his own plans for that, Tony Stark stepped into his kitchen, making a beeline for the coffee pot, chuckling for himself as ever as he passed the note on the refrigerator. He simply could not avoid being smug at how well that idea had worked. He really was a genius.

 **Five rules for Loki's inprisonment;**

1: Loki is not to be tortured. (There is such a thing as the Geneva convention, people)

2: If Loki attempts an escape, it is his own fault if he gets hurt and violence is not only allowed, but _encouraged_.

3: Loki is not allowed to do anything to Pepper. If he does, we _will_ lock him in the Green Room with the Hulk. (Sorry Bruce)

4: Above rule does not apply to _Pepper_ doing things with/to _Loki_. She can do whatever she likes. Unless it directly violates human rights. See rule one. ("Come on, that's a useless rule. Pepper wouldn't!" "Probably not, but it never hurts to be clear")

5: If Loki insults _anybody_ , he is not allowed tea. ("That's a ridiculous rule!" "Yes, Steve, but it'll probably work")


	2. A Force of Nature Within

_I do not claim to own Marvel's Avenger's. Reviews are love!_

 _TapTap_

Loki sat on the sofa in what was technically his cell, but which had increasingly become a suite of rooms as the weeks ran on. Pepper had fallen asleep against him, her head pillowed on his chest and her feet - freed of their heels - stretched towards the end of the couch.

Her hair was very soft, Loki noted as her position meant it was draped across one of his arms. It was not the first time he noticed just how silky it felt, but it fascinated him every time. According to Pepper, his hair was just as soft, but it didn't feel that way to his fingers. Then again, maybe that was just because everything with Virginia was just better. Touching her felt better than touching anyone or anything else, being in love with her was better than not being in love with her, even his whole life was better just because she was in it. She was just _better_.

Slowly stroking her the soft skin of her arm in even, peaceful movements, taking care not to wake her up, Loki took his time just enjoying the warmth. All his life had felt cold; left out, forgotten, culminating in the knowledge he was not even the same race as those he had once called family. He didn't feel so cold any more.

A few minutes later, Pepper was awoken by a call before he could shut her strange device called cell-phone _off_ , and left him with a brief caress to his jaw to sort something or rather out. She did a lot of that, the former prince of Asgard had quickly concluded. He would try and make her stop pushing herself so hard, but he could recognise devotion, commitment and _happiness_ when confronted with them so blatantly.

Virginia _liked_ to run Starks company, was happy to _sort_ _out_ all of its messes, and he could never come between her and something which made her so happy. Besides, he thought wryly as he stretched and rose from the sofa, he was a prisoner. It wasn't like he was busy and had a schedule to conflict with hers. He would be right here, every time she needed or just wanted him. Every time. Something in that thought was deeply satisfying.

He had not been alone for even five minutes when Banner entered in her stead, with that strangely amusing, constantly careful outlook of his. Loki had been wary of the man at first, remembering only too vividly what he held within, and the vastly undesirable feeling of being swung around by a giant _green force of nature_ like a limp ragdoll. He did not want to suffer through that, ever again.

Banner - the man, not the force hidden within - had surprised him though. The man was likable, even for him, and gentle and careful. He was helpful and kind and always brought Loki tea whenever he came to visit him to ask about some question or other which was currently occupying that - for a human - impressively intelligent head of his.

"I brought you some herbal tea. Thought you might enjoy the change" of course, the man would have picked up on that Loki enjoyed trying different flavours as often as possible. "Thank you" the words, once deemed by him as impossible, came easily from his lips now. Not generally, but to some people, like Virginia, his brother - yes, Thor was now, once more, his brother (even though nothing could convince him that they shared a father) - Banner and even Jane. He could only approve of his brother's choise of partner.

Accepting the cup and taking an appreciative sip - it was very good - Loki sat back down in one of the comfortable armchairs, pulling his legs up and waiting for whatever query the other man would make this time. He was sure it would be interesting.

It started out normally enough; the scientist told him about some experiments he had done, described this hypothesis he had come up with, detailed plans of his, Jane's and Stark's, and only came to a stop almost an hour later, biting his lip in apparent nervousness.

"Banner?" Loki pressed, frowning. This was not normal behaviour for this particular mortal. He was far more elusive, withdrawn, than his two fellow scientists, shy and careful where Stark was bold and Jane held a rare, honest charm, but this was out of the man's normal character.

"Could I ask for... Loki, would you mind being scanned?" The man continued in a rush. "You can say no, of course, if you'd rather not! The Geneva convention" Loki knew what that was well after researching the List with Jarvis help "protects prisoners against medical experiments and any such thing! We just thought, it would be very interesting if..."

"I know" Loki cut him off, making the man look up. "Jarvis found the relevant document for me months ago. What is it you would like to check, exactly?" Bruce immediately leaned forwards eagerly. "Whatever you would allow! Preferably we would like to scan you changing forms or practising magic, but really whatever you would be comfortable with..."

Loki studied him carefully. Banner did not seem to have any hidden agendas with making the request. "You would want to see me change into my true form?" Banner looked even more excited at that, and he looked like he had been handed a present for the mere fact that Loki was agreeing to discuss it. "That would be astonishing! But any form, really, would be enough" Banner replied. He then started to rise from his position in one of the chairs, perhaps sensing how Loki needed to think on the matter. He felt just a little bit grateful at that, now that he had dared to let some of his many walls come down.

"Why don't you consider it? We would love to get to check" Banner concluded, leaving with little more than a nod from Loki's side, not demanding any words in responce, as Loki did not seem forthcoming in offering any. That was why the adopted Asgardian let the man study him in the first place: he did not like demands, and the man never made any.


	3. The Skywalker

_It might interest some of you to hear that I am currently writing a Doctor Strange film fix-it as well as a Doctor Strange/Sherlock/Doctor Who Advent story for Christmas. Just thought I'd mention that._

 _I mean no copyright infrigement, I am just having a laugh. Or... a fluff! I am totally having a fluff._

 _TapTap_

"What _is_ it, exactly?" Loki poked the thing suspiciously. It poked him back. He was used to Stark having all sorts of novel and typically insane ideas, but this was rather up there, even for him.

"It is a cat" Stark answered as if that was obvious "to keep you company while Pepper is in Canada for so long". The "duh" was not pronounced, but it was heavily implicated. "Of course it is" Loki answered with some sceptisism.

He had read up on cats, after Banner had let slip that he'd been compared to a bag of them, though he'd neglected to look up photographs. His research had told him that they were very interesting, albeit fickle creatures, and apparently they could be vicious. This particular specimen, however, was huge, white and didn't seem in the least bit aggressive.

In fact, the creature wound itself around his legs a few times, and when that elicited no reaction, it went over to Tony, purring loudly when the engineer bend down to pet it, letting it buff its head against his knees and hands. Scent marking, Loki recalled, but it looked rather affectionate.

Stark dropped off a few things which Loki guessed were cat-related, and then he left the two to bond. Loki had assumed that this would be to the pleasure of neither of them, but he soon found that he had been mistaken (not that he'd ever admit as much!).

The large, white cat found a comfortable spot on his sofa and made itself comfortable immediately, seemingly not caring if he was there or not. Cautiously, he sat down in the other end of the sofa, opening his book and losing himself in the writing.

He was startled out of his book about half an hour later, and when he looked down the reason was no mystery to disern. Standing next to him, putting a paw on his leg, was Cat. As he lifted his arm out of the way instinctively, it jumped up into his lap and curled up there, purring. It didn't take five minutes before he carefully treaded a hand through the soft fur, eyes on his book. The purring got louder.

The cat, soon identified as "Loki's better half" before somewhat ironically being christened after him as the "Skywalker", was suddenly everywhere Loki was.

When Banner came to ask for an explanation of a magical phenomenon he had been researching, Skywalker sat calmly in Loki's lap and listened, and when the frost-giant got up to demonstrate it with a small spell, the cat watched lethargically from the warm spot he had just vacated.

When Stark visited to practise his hnefatafl skills, the cat batted at the pieces a grand total of one time and then curled up in the sofa, in the exact spot Loki had just moved from, and fell asleep. It was not the most energetic of cats, being a wise old mother to many kittens, but that suited everyone just fine.

Jane was delighted at the cat when she came to speak about Thor, bearing a pot of tea for a bribe. It seemed to take an instant liking to her, as well, and spent the rest of the talk between the magician and the scientist in her lap, washing itself.

When Steve dropped by one day to lecture Loki about good and evil for the thousandth time, it hissed at him and batted after him as he backed away, much to Loki's delight. Clearly, he told Jarvis later that day, it was a very diserning cat. Perhaps, Jarvis had answered him, in the AI's trademark snarky way, the cat did not like condescension. If Rogers had ever heard of the exchange, he would have been both angry and offended, but he never did.

As Pepper finally came back home to the tower after an extended business trip, she was startled upon trying to get into bed with her boyfriend, as she found that there was someone already in her spot. Luckily, cat and CEO came to an understanding within moments, Skywalker blinking lazily and curling up on Pepper's spare pillow, purring calmingly.

That, Pepper decided, curling up against Loki's half-asleep form, was something she could get used to. She'd have to tell Tony that this idea hadn't been all that stupid after all.


	4. Better Than Burning Venom (By Far)

_Reviews are love!_

 _I do not pretend to be Marvel, and so do not claim to own their stuff. I might be a tad bonkers, but nowhere near that bad._

 _TapTap_

Bruce Banner was always - by necessity, you might say - very controlled, but even so it was currently obvious how even he was excited. Jane Foster was almost skipping along, she was so enthusiastic, and Tony Stark most decidedly _was_ skipping with eagerness.

Loki had been lying on hard surfaces before as part of his punishments, though never a table before, most notably wedged between stones with snake venom dripping into his unprotected eyes. This was decidedly better.

They were in Stark's lab, and Loki found himself strapped in under a scanner. He had tensed as Jane fitted something around his neck, and she had smiled comfortingly to him. "It is to help you keep still" she had explained, demonstrating that nothing was strong enough to restrain him should he try to move - the bonds were there to help them get a clear image, not to keep him from leaving or moving should he decide to do so. She had even given him a pillow.

It was not a quick process, but Loki found himself relaxing more the longer it went on. The three scientists stood behind screens looking terribly excited a lot, occasionally asking him to summon magic - of a harmless kind, please! - or change form. He conjured ice balls he did not toss in responce, and let them spend over an hour scanning and taking what they called "MRI" or "CT" scans of him in his frost giant form.

It was a prime opportunity to cause some mayhem, disrupt some of Stark's experiments and perhaps destroy a couple of Ironman suits, even, of course, but he found himself decidedly not tempted. It wasn't only that it would disappoint Virginia. A few months ago he would have behaved knowing it would please her, and while that was still a valid reason to do most anything in his mind, it was not his only reason now. It would please his brother, too, as it made Jane so happy, and that mattered to him as well, but that was not it, either.

Over the last few months, he had come to appreciate Banner's compassion, admitted to thoroughly liking Jane, and found much enjoyment in playing boardgames with Tony. Tony, now, in his mind, not necessarily just "Stark". The engineer had even started to teach him some Midgardian board games in return. He enjoyed all of it, and he felt no attraction to the idea of hurting the three scientists by destroying their experiment. He did not need to, and he felt safe here. If they asked, he would agree to a repeat without a second thought. In fact, he might even suggest it himself. Their enthusiasm was infective. Besides - being confined to only his own room all of the time got decidedly boring after a few weeks, not to say months.

The calm atmosphere was disturbed just as Jane explained the concept of "blod testing" to him, asking him if they might get a sample - if possible both in his Asgardian and Jotun forms. She was truly _asking_ , as well, not in any way presuming what his answer might be. They all turned their heads to the door as it crashed open, and Phil Coulson questioned them in a cold, controlled voice. "What do you three think you are doing?"

"Science?" Tony Stark answered in his normal snarky manner. Coulson was beyond it, but a lesser man would surely have rolled his eyes. "I expected such blatant disregard of the rules from you, but Doctor Banner? Doctor Foster? Surely you've heard of the Geneva convention? Performing scientific experiments on prisoners is..." "Illegal without their consent" Loki sat up, drawing Coulson's eyes. The restrains came off as easily as Jane had promised they would. "Only using unwilling individuals for testing is prohibited. They've done nothing wrong".

Coulson frowned, looking to Jane. "He is not restrained?" "A little, I mean he is _Loki_ " Stark broke in, rolling his eyes. "I wouldn't let him out into my tower without _some_ insurance. But not really, no. He volunteered to let us do some research. We wouldn't have otherwise, it is in The _Rules_!"

"The list taped to the refrigerator" Dr Banner explained to the agent in his sedate, calm way, as the engineer's statement made him look slightly puzzled. "It mentions the Geneva convention specifically, I think you will find. We asked him nicely" he assured softly. Coulson stared back at them, then he walked back out and silently shut the door behind himself. He was a wise man, after all, and he knew how to chose his battles. When it was imperative for him to stand up for what was good and fight, and when he could just leave. He left.

"Well, that was interesting" Tony remarked with a crooked grin, stretching and looking decidedly mischievous. Now, will we get frostbite if we touch your frosty self, Raindeer Games?"


	5. I Belong Here With You

_I still do not mean any copyright infrigement - I am just trying to make the world slightly fluffier! Alright, I am trying to make the world a_ _lot_ _fluffier. Still._

 _TapTap_

Loki sat on the workbench in Stark's lab, watching as Bruce Banner did something involving a round thing which was attached to his arm. "What does this do, exactly?" He questioned, looking down on it curiously. Midgardian science intrigued and baffled him. "It measures your blood pressure. That way, we can see if yours is different compared to ours" Jane explained from behind him. It had been three weeks since their first experiments, and Loki had stopped turning to look at the scientists as they spoke or moved behind his back. It was perfectly safe, after all.

He did not even try to pull his hand away when Stark took hold of his wrist without any warning. He often did that kind of thing, being just a bit innocently overbearing, and Loki had stopped to mind during their hnefatafl games. In that lack-of-boundaries way it reminded him of his big brother.

He was not certain that he would yet let Tony take him to his lab all by his own devices, but he could only trust Jane, and Banner had a calming effect on the mad engineer as well. On him as well, he had to admit, as the nuclear physisist could only be described as soothing. Not to mention, his visits to the lab to help out pleased Pepper. She always recieved news of him helping them in their experiments with great pleasure.

It had taken them five days to device a safe way - for both them and him - to withdraw some blood from him in his jotun form. It took another week to figure out how to adequately map his molecular structure. They still hadn't figured out how his magic worked. Not that he was as helpful about that. He wasn't sure he wanted them to know.

As had become common, halfway through their tests Skywalker walked in, rubbing up against Jane and meowing at Banner demanding to be petted. Somewhat surprisingly, it was usually Stark who obliged, the genius engineer having rather taken a liking to the large, sedate cat.

This was probably why Pepper stepped into the lab at four-thirty in the afternoon, finding Jane and Bruce discussing the possible implications of astrophysics being involved in Loki's magic, Loki asleep under one of the scanners, and Tony making a 3D-blueprint of the Mark-whatever with one hand supporting the cat sleeping on one of his shoulders.

"It is very kind of you to be so patient with their tests" Virginia commended her Norse God once they were alone in his suite of rooms, Skywalker having opted to stay and sleep on the passenger seat of Tony's Aston Martin. That had seemed to amuse the engineer.

"I enjoy it" Loki admitted, in a very low voice, speaking mostly into Pepper's hair so that he did not need to meet her eyes when confessing to what part of his mind still considered a weakness. He needn't have worried, though. "I am proud of you" was all Pepper murmured into his ear in responce, and he could hear her smile.

He closed his eyes and allowed himself to just feel, as her fingers ran through his hair, reminding him that life was simply far better now, and that he had no longer any need for hiding. After all those years it had become an instinct, but he liked this new lack of suspicion, this surrounding made up of friends and people not looking to stab him in the back. Even though they technically did stab him, occasionally. Anyway, they did so gently, to his face, with those pokey needle thingies which couldn't really hurt anyone. He was sure both Virginia and Jane would tell him it didn't count. He frankly didn't count it either.

"I love you" he murmured to Pepper, finishing that thought, and instead thinking only of her. He let her scent fill his nose, running his nose along the side of her head, into her neck just below the hairline, making her shiver pleasantly. Smiling into her neck, kissing gently, Loki decided that much as he liked the science, this was his favourite part of this new world.


	6. I Do Not Trust Myself With You

_This... is just me overindulging in fluff. And generally loving the bots. Do forgive me. (You must admit that Loki and bots are adorable together!)_

 _I do not claim to own the characters I am merecilessly attempting to drown in sheer fluffiness._

 _TapTap_

Loki poked at it. It poked back. He frowned. It just... sort of sat there. He growled, it beeped. And when he reached out a wrench, it took it with an excited whirr and buzzed off. He stared after it with an astonished expression. "What is that?"

"That's just Dummy" Stark responded carelessly, tossing a wrench away, only narrowly missing what looked like an expensive sports car. "He is _supposed_ to be a helper bot. Do watch out, he tends to dose you with a fire extinguisher. He will never dose you if you're actually on _fire_ , that's what the unit on the wall is for".

Loki blinked. He thought he had seen it all, but Tony Stark was just strange. With a sigh, he went back to the beakers of different liquids Banner wanted him to freeze for them to analyse. Sometimes he wondered if they were being scientific for their world or were just goofing off. He didn't mind though. He liked freezing things.

He went through one set of beakers, freezing them with magic, then shifted to his jotun form and froze the other set with his cold touch. Virgina had been hinting lately - which was only her form of pestering, really - that she wanted to see him in that form, but he had yet to allow it.

He had a feeling she had her own theories about why he refused, and maybe wanted to prove to him that she didn't mind, that she accepted all of him, but he had realised that on his own. He wasn't chosen as the god of mischief for a lack of intelligence or anything. He could connect the dots.

He did not want Pepper to be near him in his jotun form, because she trusted him rather too much, and while that normally filled him with warmth, beling relied on for the first time ever, in this case it filled him with dread.

Simply speaking, he did not trust Virginia with herself where his true form was concerned. He had heard Jane call his form a glamour, but that was not true. While he could do that, in this case, he _wasn't_. He truly _changed_ at a profound level, and that meant he was essentially _different_. Pepper would assume he'd be the same, she'd try to _touch_ \- and he would _hurt_ her.

Swallowing, knowing of this scenario, he cleared his throat. "Tony?" Something in his tone must have alerted the "Man of Iron", as his brother called him, because he looked up for the first time in quite a long time. "Yes, Raindeer Games?" If anyone could help him make Pepper understand, it'd be Tony, but he was surprised to realise he had no compunctions in asking. "I wonder... if you could do me a favour?"


	7. I Was a Skywalker Before a Trickster

_This was supposed to be the last chapter. I am sorry to those of you who expected it before Christmas - the Plotbunnies weren't cooperating! It is also not actually the last chapter: the characters weren't cooperating_ either _._

 _Still only own the fluff. Lets face it: I only want the fluff anyway!_

 _TapTap_

Loki stood up on the roof of Stark Tower, watching the night sky. Ever since he started to help the three scientists out in their lab, restrictions for his presence (as long as he remained firmly inside the Tower walls) had gotten a lot less restrictive. Now, finally, he was allowed out on the roof terrace. It was wonderful: he had missed the sounds and smells of night. He enjoyed watching the stars, and he was careful not to abuse the privilege and thus lose it.

Pepper had suggested to have a picnic up here one day, but she was currently overseas; at work. His hands clenched unconsiously around the rails protecting you from falling sixty floors down onto the New York streets as he remembered that awful day before she'd left.

He had come down to Bruce's lab to let the trio of excentric scientists take some tests - it had seemed harmless enough - and has obligingly changed form to let Bruce do some scans while he froze things with his touch. It was not the first time, but they kept devicing new tests, and while he did not find it even remotely as fascinating as the scientists did, he always did enjoy learning new things.

Bruce and Tony had retreated to another part of the lab, arguing about something so scientific he was not even sure they used English any more - he was more than proficient in allspeach, but sometimes with these three even that didn't help.

Jane was adjusting something about the machine, chatting to him like she liked to do while she did. Loki had a teory that she was merely trying to soothe, like one would a scared animal, and while he did not need the comfort, he always liked how she cared, and never once reduced him to a unfeeling test-subject. It was one of the reasons why he never denied them their exhaustive research.

She was chuckling about a story he'd just told her about toddler-Thor, standing a mere yard from his frost-giant form, when Pepper walked in to say good-bye before her trip, stopping on the doorstep as if frozen solid.

Jane looked at her un-understanding at recieving no responce to her greeting, not grasping what was wrong. Loki felt his heart grow as cold as his freezing outside when he realised what the scene must look like from his girlfriend's perspective.

Virginia had begged him for weeks now to let her see his frost-giant form, and he had always denied her. And here he was, lying on an examination table with his arm behind his head, completely at ease as Jane was looking at him in his blue, red-eyed form as if this was completely normal. Which, of course it was, but Pepper did not know that.

Pepper had always assumed it was all about trust, and in a way she was right - he did not like exposing himself in any way to his enemies, and he did change form for the scientists because he trusted them, but it was not that he didn't trust her. But he knew her, and she'd want to reaffirm the bond between them after seeing it. She would touch him, and he had never been able to sufficiently explain to her just how cold his blue skin was.

"Her you trust?" Virginia did not raise her voice, and she did not seem angry, but Loki knew better than to assume that that meant she wasn't furious at him. He's seen that look directed at Tony often enough when he'd missed doing something important, after all. As she took one step into the room, he changed his form back by instinct - instinctively trying to protect her from himself. He only realised that this was a mistake when she froze and raised her chin slightly. She was still utterly collected, but he recognised fury when he saw it.

"Pepper? What's the matter?" Jane tried, just as the door opened admitting Bruce and Tony to the room. "I cannot see you, but she can?" Pepper's voice was so controlled that not only Loki but also Tony winced in reaction.

"See what?" Jane reached out a hand, trying to calm the other woman. "We weren't _doing_ anything if that is what you think, we were just checking a..." "This is _normal_ to you?" Pepper turned her head towards Jane, her voice raised just a fraction now. "I've asked for months to see him like that, and that is _normal_ here?!"

"Whoa, whoa, Pep. Calm down" surprisingly, it was Tony who spoke, while Jane was staring, only half understanding and Bruce stayed leaning against the wall, looking like he might need to flee the atmosphere shortly in order to avoid a green alert.

"Don't get involved in this, Tony" the CEO warned, her voice harsh. Tony's was soft as she answered, making Loki remember the favour he asked some days ago, to get Tony's help with making Virginia understand the whole, blue frost giant situation. They hadn't had time to actually do anything about it, but planned to have a plan in place for when Pepper was to return from her trip.

"But I need to get involved. Pepper - just bare with me, here - do you remember when I used to cool certain systems in the lab with liquid nitrogen and insisted on this whole demonstration to make sure you got how cold it was, so you wouldn't touch it and hurt yourself?" Something in Tony's eyes, something about the pure care obvious in his eyes, voice and whole demeanour - so unlike his public persona, but not unheard of for the people he cared about - clearly made Pepper pause.

"Yes, of course I do" she replied cautiously. "Four days ago Loki came to me and asked me for a favour. He wanted my help to explain something to you. Remember those pipes it ran through? How they'd freeze your scarf when it touched them? Your new boyfriend does not change his looks when he transforms his apparence, his transforms his _being_. When he is blue, he is _that cold_. He didn't know how to explain it to you - how could he, when he is not from this world and has no joint points of reference with you - and wanted my help to make you understand".

Cautiously, once Tony had stopped speaking, Jane cut in. "We are scientists, we knew how cold he got from Jarvis' scans. And, to be honest, Virginia, he is not in love with us. If he got a little overprotective about it, then he just wanted to keep you safe".

Much could be said about Virginia - all good things - but she was a very resonable woman who could listen very well when needed. She had, after all, stuck with Tony Stark for over a decade. It had all calmed down from there, and it had ended with Pepper running a finger down the side of his Asgardian face, stating that she understood, her eyes having softened.

Loki still shivered to think of it, consciously unclenching his hands from around the rail. He was happy that was all behind them.


	8. It Takes a Man to Survive a Makeover

_I still do not own The Avengers. I still haven't actually seen the films, either._

 _This is unapologetic fluff... like all of my stuff, really!_

 _TapTap_

Loki couldn't help but feel very apprehensive. Stark's laughing and "rather you than me!" reaction had not exactly been reassuring, either. He knew, of course, that whatever they had planned, they would not let him come to any harm, yet, that tiny human Darcy was alarming in her own way, even though remarkably free of exceptional powers of any kind. Coupled with Virginia and Jane, there simply was no telling what they might get up to.

Not that Loki knew what they were objecting to so strongly, either. His hair was getting a little long, yes, and he was wearing rather nondescript clothing Pepper had selected and brought him, but why was his appearance so important? And what, exactly, did a "makeover" even mean? Why was earthlings so prone to ridiculous frases which no one sane could possibly understand?

"Relax" Loki felt his thoughts slip away as if by magic as Virginia's lips touched the skin of his neck "there's nothing to be worried about. And don't listen to a word Tony might have said. He is a dramatically inclined four-year-old". Loki had to smirk at that. He'd come to be rather... fond of Stark, but that did not mean that he didn't find the man ridiculous - or occasionally insane. In fact, that might be part of why he liked him in the first place, actually.

Too soon, Virginia moved away, as the voice of Jane's deciple cut into their pleasant haze. "Oh, yeah, no man should have waistlong hair. Hiddleston himself couldn't pull that look off" tilting her head to the side, the human amended. "Okay, maybe him. Also Orlando Bloom, before he turned thirty-five. Or Johnny Depp. But no one _else_ ".

Jane must have heard at least part of this statement, because she entered the room chuckling, as well as carrying a bunch of alarmingly-looking objects. Virginia immediately went to were in the kitchen at the communal floor of the Avengers'-Tower, but the room was - unusually - completely empty except them. It seemed everyone male had fled the Tower or at least stayed well away from this floor upon hearing of the trio's plans. Everyone except for Loki, who was not allowed to seek the same refuge from whatever it was that they were planning.

"Alright. Here's what I am thinking" Jane started decidedly, speaking to her fellow eath-ladies and not to Loki "I don't think Asgardians actually _need_ to cut their hair - Thor's seems as healthy no matter what happens to it - but I still think they _should_ , or it'll just grow to their heels. How attached are you to length, Pepper?"

"I was thinking maybe" Virginia brushed a hand against Loki's shoulder, making him shudder slightly (in a good way, always in a good way) marking a length for the other two to see "maybe about here? Sort of shoulder-length?"

"I agree" Jane stated, getting out weirdly shaped scissors while Darcy just nodded and started to unfold a black piece of fabric. "And we need to do something about his overall 'look' - he is starting to look more and more like Stark at his less outrageous - you really shouldn't be allowed to dress men, Pepper". Darcy snickered, but Loki found himself frowning. He looked like Stark? Earthlings were very subtle with their fashion choises, if that was the case. He rather thought all of their clothing looked the same.

"Loki?" It was Darcy, finally addressing him as she came over to fold the black fabric - it felt strange, not like real cloth - around his shoulders. "What is your favourite colour? Green?" He nodded slowly, not knowing what to make of the sudden question, but apparently that was enough of a reply, as the human made a sort of "hmm" sound and promtly stepped away again.

Loki finally let Virginia and Jane coax him into relaxing, as they first asked and then cut his hair. It was only when Jane pulled out the scissors as they finally asked permission, but at least they _did_. Truth be told, he _had_ found his hair a little on the long side himself, but to shear it to its normal length had required a spell he was still restricted from using. It was something of a relief to have it cut, but what was anything _but_ a relief was spending the rest of the afternoon _trying on clothes_ which all looked identical in his eyes.

They had only barely settled on what they referred to as a "look" when Skywalker came into the room demanding her dinner, and the three women scattered as they realised how late it had gotten. That was how Loki found himself watching the sunset, a fully-fed cat in his lap, he himself wearing new jeans and an emerald green button up, slowly stroking across soft fur while he listened to Virginia talking gibberish into her phone over at the kitchen counter.

If this was what Stark and the rest of the Avengers had been so afraid of, then he was more of a man than all of them put together. But then again: he already knew that, and it was only their own foolishness which meant they didn't. They rightly all should kneel for him... but he would settle with not being alone, any more.


	9. Makeovers Can Also Be Fun

_I am not MARVEL and so do not own The Avengers. Nor have I seen the films. (I have been busy writing!)_

 _This plotline was inspired by Princess Prettypants, whose reviews have once more inspired the plot of a story._

 _TapTap_

Loki was awokened several hours past dawn by the Skywalker, who was purring in the manner which Stark tended to call "like an outboard motor". While the frost giant had only looked that up with the help of Jarvis and didn't know what one sounded like, if there was one thing he was willing to trust Tony with, it was engineering. There really wasn't any point to trusting the man with anything else, after all.

After greeting the cat good morning, Loki decided to forego putting on clothing, instead walking into his living room wearing only his favourite, emerald green, silk pyjama bottoms. He liked lounging in the sofa in them, and if Virginia saw him doing so, that was only a bonus.

It was with some relief he got himself some breakfast without getting tangled in his hair when doing so. He didn't _mind_ having long hair, but it had been getting slightly out of hand lately. What he did not understand was the need of spending a full day on a "makeover" instead of just grabbing a pair of scissors.

Ah well, he loved Virginia, and his - _Thor's_ \- he corrected himself, mother had always said that if you loved someone, there was no need to understand them, because you _loved_ them. He didn't quite understand that either. He was willing, though, to give the words the benefit of the doubt. And as un-understandable as the three women were, he found the mortal men's reactions even more puzzling. It wasn't like they had been plotting murder or anything. Not that that would have fazed him, either, to be entirely truthful.

It was when he completed his breakfast and went to get a new book and lounge on the sofa for a few hours (with the purring cat, likely, within moments) that he saw them. As if the day before wasn't enough, there were four full bags of shopping left inside his door. A most cautious peek inside revealed a selection of green shirts and a couple of new jeans. How much clothing did Virginia think he required?

Dropping it for now, he stretched out on the sofa, allowing the large cat to make herself at home on his stomach, soon purring contentedly as he absentmindedly stroked her furr while he read. He still hadn't moved when Virigina came back home, and that was probably at least six or seven hours later.

Normally, if he was lounging, pyjama bottoms only, on the couch, he was expecting a certain reaction from his lover, and so when he heard her come through the door he kept on reading, listening for her. Instead of her joining him, he was surprised a moment later by one of the previously (mostly not) explored bags hitting his feet. He was certain Virigina would have tossed it more directly at him, but was too polite to the cat to do so. Apparently, he did not get to share in this courtesy.

As he looked up, he met Virginia's playful, and utterly pleased eyes. "Try them on" she suggested - or ordered, but she was the only person he did not immediately and inevitable, automatically, rebel at orders from - and then she smiled. "No need to step out of the room for modesty - there's just the two of us here". Studying her face for just a moment, Loki smiled. _This_ type of trying on clothes he thought he could get behind.


	10. A Starry Sky For A SkyWalker

_This is Loki's much longed for picnic under the stars._

 _No copyright infringement intended, of course._

 _TapTap_

Loki tipped his head back and looked up into the starry sky. They were beautiful everywhere, the stars, no matter what universe you were in or from where in it you were watching, and he was more proud than over a lot of things, for his title as the Skywalker.

"What do you see that I don't?" He tilted his head to look at Virginia, who was lying next to him on a blanket, at the very top of Stark Tower. "You look at the sky as if it spoke to you, somehow. I would assume it was an Asgardian thing, but your brother does not do it". "My brother and I are different in many ways". A year ago, there would have been bitterness in that statement, but this night, together past so many things, there was none left.

"I love the sky, in a way that neither you nor my brother can share, maybe, but surely you can still appreciate its beauty?" He turned fully, lying on his side and watching Virginia, instead, who was just as beautiful as the stars, if in another way. He had never thought that about any lover of his, ever before.

He watched as her face lit up with a smile, and finally closed his eyes as she reached out a hand and touched his face. He used to be so impatient, with everything and everybody, but he could lie still under the hands of her for however long she wished without a second thought. Certainly for one lifetime, just listening to the soft breathing and mortal heartbeat he could hear when she was close, her soft scent of roses and her rose-petal-soft fingertips touching his skin. It was perfection in every way, in a different way than the stars were, but just as real to him.

They had been having a picnic, watching the sun set slowly in its magnificent colours over New York, taking their time to talk of things they didn't usually did, and Loki had enjoyed it. He loved it even more now, though, in the soft darkness, with Virginia's fingers mapping his skin as if he, too, was a constallation of stars.


	11. Never Alone (Ever) Again

_This, I am sad to say, (or maybe I am not, after seven months (!) and ten days or so for good measure) is the last chapter: the epilogue, if you will. Thank you Marvel for tolerating that we play with your stories. We appreciate it._

 _This chapter features a pairing I didn't know this story contained. It caught me off guard, too._

 _I hope you have enjoyed this story and this series in two parts, and that I will see you again in other stories of mine._

 _TapTap_

Time seemed to move more quickly in this mortal realm. Loki didn't notice it at first, the realisation snuck up on him when he was not noticing. Seemingly overnight, he realised that he had been in captivity for over a year, that it was now the norm for him to be helpful and even slightly trusted, helping the trio of scientists and being with Virginia.

Virginia. Maybe she was what really, truly, changed _everything_. Time with her was never painful or dragging, and with her in his life it just felt... better. He had never been so content. Maybe that was why the changes snuck up on them, slowly and at the same time suddenly.

It started with Skywalker having a litter of kittens. It was not her first one, but it was her first with them as owners. Since then, these swift, mortal changes seemed to come every time Loki opened his eyes.

Thor and Jane decided to marry. Once the day came, they had settled on a double wedding: Jane and Thor, Virginia and Loki. Darcy made as enthusiastic a bridesmaid as the Black Widow was terrifying beyond measure in the same capacity. As the kittens grew, unnaturally fast on all accounts, exploring the tower and generally making a nuisance of themselves (not that anyone ever minded) to a point where Loki got proud of having been referred to as a "bag of cats" with all their propensity for mischief, changes kept happening undeterred.

Jane announced her first pregnancy about when the first kitten got dubbed as the IronCat and was officially proclaimed to belong to Tony. They were all uncertain about the wisdom of this at first, but he was a surprisingly responsible father, to a kitten anyway. Virginia noted that gods help them if he ever got an actual baby to care for, and they all grimaced: Tony most of all.

By the time Natasha had taken kitten number four (two and three, dubbed Arrow and Follower and having found their homes with Barton's children) and named her the Ballerina, the Black Widow had also announced the date for her to marry Bruce Banner. Few of them, (except perhaps Virginia, of course) saw that coming, though Tony already had a material in mind for a ring which a Hulk transformation would not break, so maybe he was more astute than you'd think.

Changes continued in this way, nieces and nephews appearing, a baby Hulk being born without any hint of green to a general sigh of relief (her father being more relieved than anybody else), until Loki found himself sitting in what had long ceased to be a cell, surrounded by family all over the Tower.

There were things everywhere, these days, Loki noted absentmindedly, as the fifth and last kitten, now since long a grown cat, named after Thor's (and maybe his, too, in all ways that mattered) mother, jumped down from somewhere and landed on his shoulders, but the god of mischief did not mind. He had never minded chaos, after all, and he was not alone, not any more. Never alone.

Rising carefully in order to not dislodge the cat, the frost giant stepped over the lego which was strewn across the rug, just lying in wait for unguarded feet (always adult feet, somehow, the children never seemed to step on any of it) and went past the girl lying on the floor drawing, several cats lying on top of her or by her side, lazily watching.

This oldest girl, now eight or nine (Loki still had trouble with the swiftness with which mortal children grew) had been the only one to get Thor's hair of all of his and Jane's children, and the scientist and Virginia had spent far too many nights joking about how the now half-grown, half-asguardian boys who were this child's little brothers looked more like Loki than Thor, because they had inherited not only their mother's dark hair, but a distinct mischievousness which Loki suspected had made its way into the children not by way of his influence, but Tony Stark's.

Passning the Black Widow and her offspring (fondly nicknamed the Pink Widow, because of her taste, very like the taste of any five-year-old) practising ballet in their private studio, Loki took the stairs down as he checked on the rest of his family. His three nephews, darkhaired little darling menaces between the ages of seven and three, were playing in the gym under the watchful eyes of Captain America, who was admittedly very tolerant with them getting involved in his training regime.

Jane was found in the kitchen, sleeping baby girl (also with their mother's dark hair, like her brothers) in her arms as she was reading a cook-book, and with Virginia still at work, Loki guessed where their own daughter might be easily.

In Tony Stark's workshop everything was very much as it had been when Loki first got there, over a decade earlier. A now rather old Skywalker was sleeping on the seat of a new Aston Martin, accompanied by one of her granddaughters, still a rather young cat, and Tony Stark was fixing something over at his workbench, looking on with undisguised delight as a four-year-old version of Pepper played fetch with an even more delighted "helper" bot.

Hela was the image of her mother in every way, so much so that Jane had once questioned, after Virginia's playful jibe that Jane's boys looked more like her own husband than Jane's, exactly how a frost giant and a human would mix in genetics, and if there was any of Loki in the then toddler at all. As she grew though, more and more to the image of her mother, the child's eyes grew so vibrantly green that her parentage could not have been more clear. Loki stopped in the door and just watched her.

Bruce Banner, Loki soon realised, was in the workshop as well, having come down from his labratory for some reason or other, but the frost giant did not mind nor worry. If he ever feared the beast inside the man, it was only for himself. He held no worries for the innocent children he knew that green force of nature would defend just as fiercely as he would himself.

The original Skywalker soon abandoned deeper thoughts, as his darling girl noticed her father had come and ran into his arms with a delighted laugh. Petting the cat still resting on her father's shoulders, the young girl started telling him all about what she'd been doing in the hour or so since he saw her last, while he carried her upwards towards the kitchen.

It was in that kitchen, vaguely an hour later, that they all gathered, three pairs and a genius, billionare, playboy, philantrophist, along with all of their children, seven in total (not counting the Barton ones, as they were not only a few years older, but also didn't live with them) to have a family dinner like they always did. Oh, and Rogers was there too, but Loki usually did not count him in any way. Great as he was with his dear nephews, the god of mischief still did not like the mortal one bit.

"What have you all done today?" Virgina asked generally as she helped organise the children by moving the bowls of food in the right directions, smiling as she got three answers at the same time.

Dinner was always full of laughter, stories and childish enthusiasm these days, and after it it was (in the usual order) Tony who spoilt the children by making them all far too much desert while Bruce Banner patiently attempted to explain the home cinema system to Thor for what had to be the thousandth time just this year. Loki rolled his eyes at his brother's stupidity with technology, but they were saved from his utter unability to learn long before the children got over their distraction by Loki's very clever sister-in-law, who picked out a film and just had Jarvis play it.

Like most of the children's favourites, they had seen the film before, but none of the adults cared as they watched their charges, their lovely, beautiful children, drop off into sleep one by one during the second one. By the time the second film of the evening was over, Natasha Romanov bid them all good night and carried her sleeping daughter over to their private floor, her husband in tow with blankets and the stufffed ginger bear wich _absolutely_ could not be left behind. Smilingly and after a short talk with Virginia, Jane did the same, her sleeping baby in her arms and Thor, Rogers and Tony carrying the sleeping boys in decending order of age (and weight, more importantly) after her.

Virginia took their own child herself, dropped a kiss on Loki's head and left him alone with the stars, a great number of cats and his oldest niece, who was allowed to stay up a bit longer. They watched "Beauty and the Beast" together, talking a few words sometimes, and by the time "Tale as Old As Time" was done playing, Loki carried the sleeping girl to bed and went to join Virginia and Skywalker in their own room, looking in on their sleeping daughter, just next door, along the way.

Once, he had stood in this very tower, and felt so alone that it had almost broken his admittedly (at the time) frost cold heart. He was not alone any more.


End file.
